Electric-lighting system.



v P. w. REEVES.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING. SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 19 09.

Patented Jan. 31, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET lv attouwq F. W. REEVES.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOK IILBD we. as, 1909.

982,872, Patented Jan. 31, 1911.

4 BHEBTSSHBET 2.

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F. W. REEVES. ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG: 23, 1909. I 982,872, Patented Jan. 31,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

r noznto'n wmlmw I 3 P. W. REEVES. ELEGTRIG LIGHTING SYSTEM.APPLIUATION'I'ILED AUG. 23, 1909.

' Patented Jan. 31,1911.

4 BHEETS-SHEET wwm n m m FREDERICK W. REEVES, OF PIFTTSBURG,PENNSYLVANIA.

. ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Patented Jan. 31,1911.

Application flied August 23, 1909. Serial No. 514,116.

To all whom it moy concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Reeves, acitizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have-invented certain new anduseful Improvements in l llectric-l'lighting Systems; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact; description of theini'ention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying draw lugs, and to the letters and figures of refer encemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus and systems for preventing currentloss in incandescent lamps.

My invention has for its object to .provide a simple and practicalsystem for electric lighting, including a. current interrupter anddirecting the current from the source of hti for ra 'iidly andperiodically interrupting supply to a plurality of lamp circuits 'forthe purpose of attaining higher economy than is possible in theordinary-manner of uninterrupted current supply, said improvements beinghereinafter more fully described in' the accompanying specification andparticu larly pomtcdout 1n the appended claims;

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the system and apparatusaudits application in practice, wherein,

l"igurc l, is an end elevation of the apparatus. Fig. It is a verticalsection taken longitmlinally of the axis of the same. -,l ig. H1 is atransverse section on line X--X of Fig. ll showinga portion of theinterior mechanism. Fig. IV is a like section on the same line showingthe remainder of the interior mechanism. Fig. V an enlarged plan of theinterior contacts and attending brushes. Fig. V a modified form of deadcontact. Fig. VI. is a diagrannnatie \lPW illustrating the applicationof the appa ratus to a lighting circuit, in all of which views likedetail parts are designated by muncrals of like character throughout thespecification.

The apparatus as illustrated, wmpriscs in its structure the twostationary heads 1 and 2 spacial a pa rt: by the shell 3 havingperiphcral vents 4 therein, and aninterposed rotary member or disk 6.said heads and disk being provided with contacts and brushes ashereinafter described, also with vent openings 1', 2' and 6. The disk 6is formed of insulating material and is rigidly secured upon the shaft 7carrying the same, which shaft is mounted at one end in an extendedbearing 8 formed upon the head 2, the other end extending within anopening formed centrally within the head 1, and is designed to beconnected to suitable driving means, the-driving means in this instancebeing thatof the armature of a motor or the generator the shaft 9 ofwhich is connected thereto by a suitable coupling 10. The heads 1 and 2and shell 3 are rigidly clamped together by means of transverselydisposed screws 11 and the casing structure thus formed held againstmovement by the arm 12 carried by the head 1 and connected to a fixedsupport, such as that designated as 13, and in order to permit thebrushes-hereinafter described being brought exactly to zero position,adjustment of the asing struet-ure upon its axis is-provided for, whichin this inst-anciconsists of a rcrtically dispo ed slot 13' formed inthe support and a transversely. disposed slot- 12 in the arm 12' throughboth of which a bolt- 1% is passed.

\Yithin each of the casing heads is secured an annular ring ofinsulatingmaterial '15 to which the contacts and attending brushes areattached and as said contacts andbrushes are exactly-similar in form andrcgisterably disposed in the same direction in both instances adescription of one .will sutlice. Each of these heads hasrigidlyattached to the inner face portion of the insulating ring 15, four li\'e contacts 17, 18, l!) and 20, respectively and four dead contacts eachdesignated as 21 arranged thcrcbetween, both sets of contacts beingdisposed in a circle. about-the fat-c of the said ring and elevatedtherefrom upon pins 23] so as to'pcrmit. frcccirculation of airMicrobe-- ncath, said live contacts being.cach (see l ig'V) of generalare shape increasing in width from .the forward end to and toward therear or wide end, the forward or narrow end being formed on a linetangent 'with an imaginary inscribed circle hating a radius equal to thewidth of'the brush on:- ploycd; the rear end being on a line radial withthe center. each of which contacts are provided with a wedgeshaped ventopening 22 the broad end of which is also formed upon' a line tangent tothe same imaginary inscribed circle. The segmental dead con taets 21arranged between the live contacts each has its end adjacent the broadend of said live contacts formed on a line tangent to that of theimaginar inseribedcircle as is likewise the projected end proper 23, theopposite end being forked to straddle the narrow end of the live contactthe outer' leg of the fork being ofgreater' length than the inner oneand the extremity, of each being on different radial lines, the longerleg of each contact being connected by a wire 23 to the shorter leg ofthe other, thus connecting them in series,

The rotary disk 6 of insulating material carries on each face acollector ring elevated upon pins to give vent space therebeneath and arush, and'as said ringsare of peculiar formation and registerabl thesame relation but electriea ly unconnected a deseription of thestructure ofone will sutlice. These collector rings (better shown atFig. V) each comprise in their structure the four equally spaced andlike broad portions 24, each having its forward end 25 tapered, whichtaper begins.on a line radial with the axis of rotation decreasing toand meeting the narrow portion-26 on a line tangent to an imaginaryinscribed circle having a radius equal to, the width of the brushemployed, the rearend of each of said broad portions 24: being-on a lineradial with the axis of rotation where it meets .the narrow portion 27,the broad portions 25 of the collector ring each havmg its forward endformed on aline tangent to that of theimaginary inscribed circle whereit meetsthe aforesaid narrow portion 27, and its rear end on a lineradial with the axis of rotation.

The insulated binding post 28 upon the head 1 is electrically connectedto the yieldable holder 29 of a carbon brush 30 carried by said head,which brush bears upon the collector ring on that side of the disk 6.

Similarly, the insulated binding post 31,

' upon the head 2, is connected to a yieldable holder 32 of a carbonbrush33 carried by said headand bearing upon that side of the disk. A-suitable carbon brush 34 is carried by one side of the rotary disk andconnected by a wire 35 to the-collector ring of thatside andbearssuccessively upon the live and dead contacts carried by theadjacent head during rotation of the disk. Similarly, the collector ringupon the opposite side of the rotary disk is connected by a wire 36 witha suitable carbon brush 37 carried by the disk and bearing successivelyupon the live and dead contacts carried by the adjacent head duringrotation of the disk said brush 37 being disposed 90 degrees in the rearof the other brush 34. The head '1 is further pro-.

larly, thehead 2 is provi e disposed in 40 and 40' and said post 39. Twoother insulate'd binding-posts 41 and 4:2. are carried bly this head,the former being connected to. t elive contact 18 by a short wire, 41,which contact, is cross-connected to the opposite contact 20 through themedium of the wires 43 and 43' and said bindin 0st 42. Simiwith two in-'sulated binding posts 44 and 45, the former being connected to the livecontact 17 by a short wire 44', which contact is cross-connected to theopposite contact 19 through themedium of the wires 46 and 46 andbindihgpost 45. In the'other two binding-posts 4:7 and 48, the former isconnected to the.eon-.

tact 18 by it short wire 47, which contact is cross-connected to theopposite. contact 20 by meansof the wires 49 and 49' and bindin post48.-.

At Fig. VI, the a paratus described is shown din-grammatical y asconnected to suply a system havin four independent lightzng circuits, inwhic view the two'heads and rotary disk are shownas separated,"thee-ollector rin disk in practice being disposed upon thesaid disk, inwhich instance the dlSk 6 and attending brushes will rotate in "upon'the ead'2 and the head 1 turned over the direetionto cause t-he'saidbrushes to Engage the are shaped fcontactssmall end rst. a

7 .The brush 33 carried by the head 2 is connected to .the binding-post50 of a suitable pulsating current generator b a wireifil and from thisbinding-post to the brush 52 of one of the collector rings of theene'rator by a 'wire 53, the other brush 54 o? the generator 'beingconnected to the generator bindingpost 55 by a wire 56, to whichbinding-post is connected a wire '57 extending up between and connectingwith the lamps 58 and 58' arranged between the two wires 59 and (30which are attached t'o the binding-posts 41 and 39 of said head 2 thusfori'ning'two indcpendent circuits in multiple. The brush -}0 carried bythe head 1 is connected to the said bindin -post 55 of the generator bya wire i 61, am connected to the other binding-post, 50 of the generatoris a wire (32 extending up between and connecting. with the lamps (i3and 03' connected between the two wires (i-t and 65 attached tothebinding-posts 4i: and 47 of the head, thus forming twoimlependoutlamp circuits in multiple.

The device being thus connected to the generator to form fourindependent lamp circuits the-operation and flow of currenttluirethrough would be as follows: Assum- Ill] ing that the disk andattending collector v rings and brushes rotateinsynchronism with thecurrent impulses of the enerator, then,

at each rotation, as the 'brus cs 37 and 3-1,

58' and 63 and after leaving these contacts and passing onto the nextsucceeding contacts and 19 the current will then again pass through thelamps 58 and 63. Thus the current is caused to pass successively fromone set of lamps to the'other. The brushes 37 and 34 in passing from onelive contact to the other engage the intermediately disposed andconnected dead contacts 21', which thus support the same during theinterval of open circuit and pcrmittin' a raise of voltage to occur. ThehrushesBa' and 34 which are dis posed 90 degrees apart and carried bythe rotary disk, each has the forward side on a line tangent to animaginary circle having a radius equal to the width of the brush and therear side on a. line radial wit-h the axis of rotation and as the livecontacts have their forward and rear ends formed 'on lines correspondinthereto, as previously set 3 forth, it is vldent that as the brushengages and leaves said live contacts their identical lines willcoincide in both instances. Again, the brush in engaging each deadcontact will likewise coincide at the point 23 and-shoul- '3'5 der ofthe plate proper in the same manner and as the opposite forked end ofeach of these dead contacts embraces the narrow end of the live contactthe brush will be supportedin passing from .the' dead plate to the live40 contact to such extent'as to lighten the contact on that end of thelive contact even after passingofi' of the short leg and thus have atendency to reduce the line voltage until the lamps can again assumetheir normal resistance; The general are shapes given the elevated livecontacts together with the central opening causes the brush operatingthereon to shift itspoint of engagement in traversing the suu'ieas wellas to permit free circulation of air to the surface of the brush duringsuch movement. The brush also engages on different points of thesurface. of the dead contacts in the beginning and leaving the same thanit does at its broadcst'por- 'tion, and as there is also an air spacebetween t-he forked end of each and the small end of the live contact aswell as at their opposite ends, the brush changes its point of contactin passing thereoven, and is more or less cooled in passing over thesaid air spaces. The irregularity of surface in the collector rings alsopermit the'brushes actiniir'thcreon'to increase and diminish surfaceengagement with the sameand be cooled'in passing over the narrowportionspit being understood that the disk ('3 in rotating at a highvelocity induces a constant-how of air in and out through the vents l,2', 4 and (i and central orifice in the head 1. By having the ends ofthe intermediate dead plates forkcd andstraddling the forward ends ofthe live contacts the brush bears very lightly on that end of saidcontact plate, assisting the brushes to pass over the narrow ends of thelive contacts, taking up the wear on the same, etc.

It has been found that by having the dead plates connected in series. bymeans of the wires 23', the sparking otherwise occurring as the brushleaves the longer forked portions of the dead plates is obviated and theetiiciency of the apparatus is greatly increased. "lhese metallic deadplates connected in series act as aclosed circuit or path in which acurrent is seemingly induced by the reaction of breaking the cir-.'

cuit as the brush leaves the broad end of the live contact. Substitutionof non-metallic plate for the metallic dead plates has been attemptedwith the result that it caused intense arcing on breaking the circuit.

At Fig. V, a slight variation in the form of the dead contacts 21 isshown, wherein the vent space between the forward end of the livecontacts 18 and said dead contacts is increased and the forward end ofthe dead plate provided with a plurality of projections 23' to permitand more effectually diffuse the circulation of air. 4

By forming the contacts and collector rings irregularly and permitting afree cir-t culation of air to the same a nd brushes, and employingbrushes formed of carbon, a lower temperature is maintained'than wouldbe otherwise with a consequent reduction in resistance.

At Fig. II, a suitable fixed support 5, shown by dotted line is arrangedat the elongated bearing 8 of the apparatus to assist in supporting thesame in position and at the'same time permit any longitudinal adjustmentas may be occasioned or desired.

Having thus shown and described my iu-' vcntion, what I claim is: I

1. An electric lighting systcu ,comprising an iut-crrupter'in'cluding aplurality of spaced live contacts disposed -in a circular path. a likenumber of dead contacts disposed in alternate relation with andextending beyond the forward ends of the live contacts, a supplycircuit, 'a rotary brush connected to the supply circuitandoperpting onsaid contacts. and a'lal'np circuit connected to the said live contactsand supply circuit.

2. An electric lighting system, comprising.

an interrupter including a pl-uralitv of live contacts disposed in acircular patln' a like number of connected dead contacts disposed ipalternate relation with the live contacts a sai contacts and connectedto the supply circuit, and a lamp circuit connected to the live contactsand supply circuit.

3. An electric light ng system comprising .an interrupter including aplurality of ating on said contacts and connected to the sup 1y circuit,and a lamp circuit-connected to te live contacts and supply circuit,said spaced live contacts disposed in a circular" contacts being formedirregularly so as to a cause the brush to shift its surface engagementin traversing the same.

5. An clectric'lighting system, comprising an int-errupter including aplurality of spaced live contacts. disposed in a circular path, a likenumber of connected dead con- .tacts disposed in alternate relation withthe live contacts, a supply circuit, a rotary brush operatin on saidcontacts and connected to the supp y circuit, and a lamp circuitconnected to the live contacts and supply circuit, said contactsbeingirregularly formed so as to cause the brush to shift its surfaceengagement in traversing the same.

6. An electric lighting system, comprising an interrupter including aplurality of spaced live contacts disposed in a circular path, a likenumber of connected dead contacts disposed in alternate relation withand extending beyond the forward ends of the live contacts, a supplycircuit, a rotary brush operating on said contacts and connected to thesupply circuit, anda lamp circuit connected .to the live contacts andsupply circuit, said 'contacts being irregularly forme so as to causethe brush to shift its surface vn agcment in traversing the same.

h 7. An electric lighting system, comprising an interrupter including apair of fixed heads each carrying a plurality of live con tacts disposedthereabout, a llke number of dead contacts alternately disposedbetweenc'ach set of live contacts,'a supply circuit, a rotarymemberarranged between said heads and carrying a pair of brushes eachoperating on one set of said contacts and connectedto the supplycircuit,- and a lamp circuit connected to each set of live ccmtacts andthe supply circuit.

S. Ancicctric lighting system, comprising supgply circuit, a rotarybrush operating on.

an interrupter including a pair of fixed and spaced heads'eaeh carryinga; pluralityof spaced live contacts disposed thereabout, a like number20f dead contact plates alternately disposelfl between each set of livecontacts, asupply circuit, a rotary member arranged between ,said headsand carrying a pair of brushes'each operating on one of said contactsand connected to the supply circuit, and a lamp circuit connected toeach set of live contacts and thesupply circuit, said contacts beingirregularly formed so as toca'use the brush operating thereon to shiftits surface engagement in traversing thesame.

9. An electric lighting system, comprising an interrupter including a.casing formed of a pair of fixed and spaced heads. each carrying aplurality of s' accd live contacts disposed thereabout, a like number ofconnected dead contacts alternately disposed between each set of livecontacts and each extending beyondthe forward end of the succeeding livecontact, a supply circuit, a rotary member arrlanged between-said headsand carrying a pairof brushes each operat-' ing on one set of contactsand conneeted to the-supply circuit, and a lamp circuitconnected toeachset of live contacts and thesupply circuit, said contacts beingirregularly formed-so as to cause the brush to shift its surfaceengagement in traversing the set of live contacts, a. supply circuit, aro--' tary member arranged between said heads and carrying a pair ofbrushes each operating on one set' of contacts and connected to thesupply circuit, and a lamp circuit con nected to each set of livecontacts and-the supply circuit, said contacts being irregularly formedso as to cause the brush to vshift 'its surface 'engagement intraversing the same, said casing being ventilated. Y 4 I 11. An electriclighting system. comprising an interrupter including a casing formedof-two'beads spaced apart and so held, a plurality of spaced livecontacts arranged upon the inner'face of each head, a supply ,circuit, abrush carried by each head and connected to the supply circuit, aplurality of dead contacts alternately disposed be-"d tween each set oflive contacts, a rotary member arrangedbetwccu said heads and providedupon each side with a collector ring each engaged by one of the brushescarried by the heads, a brush arranged on each side of the rotary memberconnected up to the collector ring-on that side and each.

cuit, a plurality of connected dead contacts engaging a set of contactscarried by the heads. and a lamp circuit connected to each set of livecontacts and the supply circuit.

12. An electric lighting system, compris- 5 ing an interrupter includinga casing having two spaced heads, a plurality of spaced live contactsarranged upon the inner face of each head, a supply circuit. a brushcarried by each head and connected to the snpplyeiralternately disposedbetween each set of live contacts and each extending beyond the forwardend of the succeeding live contact, a rotary member arranged betweensaid heads and provided upon ach side with a collector ring each engagedby one of the brushes car- -ried by the heads, a brush carried by eachside of the rotary member ca'ch connected to one of the collector ringsand operating on 29 a set of contacts carried by the heads,and a andlamp circuits connected to he live con-' taets and supply circuits, saidcoiitacts bemg rregular in form so as to cause the brush to shift itssurt'acc engagement in,

traversing the same.

14. An electric lighting system, comprismg an interrupter includingplural sets of posed in a circular path opposite one another upon fixedmembers, a like number of irregularly formed and connected dead contactsarranged upon said members in alternate relation with the livecontacts.- a brush carried by each of said members, a rotary memberarranged between said fixed members and provided with a plurality ofirregularly formed collector rings engaged by the brushes carried by thefixed members, a

plurality of brushes carried by the rotarymember each connected to oneof the col lector rings and opcrating'on a ofcontacts, a supply circuitconnected to said fixed brushes, and lamp circuits connected to each setof live contacts and the supply circuit.

15. An electric lighting system,'compris- 'i-ng an interrupter includingplural sets of irregularly formed live contacts eitcb set disposed in acircular patlropposit-e one another upon fixed members, a like number ofconnected dead contacts arranged upon said members in alternate relationwith the live contacts and each extending beyond the forward end of" thesucceeding live contact, a brush carried by each of said members, a

irregularly formed lire contacts each set .(liseeis'ra rotary memberarranged between said fixed members and provided with a plurality ofirregularly formed collector rings, aplurality ofbrushes carried by therotary member each connected to one of the collector rings aiid engaginga set of contacts on the fixed member. a supply circuit connected to thelixed brushes, and lamp circuits connected to the supply ircuit. andlive contacts.

16. The combination of a generator. a current interrupter having aplurality of alternately disposed lire aml dead contacts and a brushoperating on the contacts and connected to one terminal of thegenerator. and a lamp circuit connected to the live contacts and theother terminal of the generator.

17. The combination of a generator, a current interrupter having pluralsets of contacts and brushes operating thereon. the brush for each setbeing connected to a terminal of the generator. and multiple lampcircuits, each circuit being connected to one setof contacts and to theother terminal ofthe generator.

18. The combination of a generator, :1 eurrcn t. i n l erru pt or havingplural sets of contacts and brushes operating thereon. each setofcontacts being connected in series and each brush connected to aterminal of the gener' ator, and multiple lamp'cireuits, each circuitbeing connected to one set of contacts and to the other terminal of thegenerator.

19. An electric lighting system, compris ing a supply circuit, aninterrupter including plural sets of spaced live contacts each sethaving alternately disposed dead contacts therewith .which are connectedto one another. means for conductinglhe current" from the supply circuitto and operating on the eon-tarts. and lamp circuits connected to thelivecontacts and supply circuit. 7

20. .An electric lighting system, comprising a supply circuit,anintcrrupterincluding plural sets of irregularly shaped live contacts,plural sets of irregularly shaped dead contacts disposed in alternaterelation with the live contacts and connected to one another in a closedcircuit, -a plurality of collector ringsand brushes for conducting the.current. from the supply circuit to and oplector rings and brushes forconducting the current from the supply circuit to and operating on thelive contacts, and a plurality of lamp circuits connected to the supplycircuit and live cont-acts, said collector rings being irregular inform.

"22. An electric lighting system, comprisconnecting one terminal of thegel'lemtor' tacts for each set of each set with its individual set ofinterrupter mg n generutor,'plu1'al sets of l;1n1ps,'a wire contacts,the lamps in each' set, being connected in multiple. with one terminalof each lam p in the plural I sets, an interrupter hav ing a pluralityof con lamps and a; rotary member operating on the contactgn wireconnecting the rotary inember with the other terminal of the generator,and a wire con: neoting the other terminals of the-lamps in hire, inpresence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK w. REEVES. \Vitness'es:

' D. B. O u s',

.R. -S,,:H1 \R RISON-' In testimony whereof, I affix my signa-

